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06-23-2012, 08:49 AM   #1
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Tilt Shift Options?

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Hey there guys. I am going through the options for Pentax Tilt Shift lenses. Afaik, there was only one K-mount 1st party Pentax Tilt Shift Lens. There is also of course which is the Lensbaby, but is more of a toy than a sort of professional lens. Then there are also a few generics out there who have created some pretty interesting lenses. Can anybody offer a few words as to which way to go to begin playing with Tilt Shift lenses? I'd rather just buy one lens and be done with it, and I do quite a bit of architectural photography.

From what I have heard, the sweet spot on the Pentax TS lens was really sharp, but on digital sensors, fringed a lot as well.

Lensbaby is of course good, but I think I may be looking for something more than a toy.

There is also Arax. They have this generic lens which actually looks pretty good and the price aint to bad either.
Arax Photo | Specials | MC ARAX 2.8/80mm Tilt & Shift lens.

06-23-2012, 09:07 AM   #2
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There is an tilt-shift adapter from mid format lenses to m42 (so out of my head) that might be an option.

Lensbaby is only a tilt lens, not shift and shift is what you want for architectural photography.
06-23-2012, 09:34 AM   #3
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That Arax T&S is the standard lens found on a lot of Russian Medium Format cameras with perhaps a better multi coating with a very tuneable adapter.

You could possibly put together a similar one on ebay with only tilt for a bit cheaper if you looked around. The Volna-3 is pretty readily available for $60, Mir-26B is around $120, Zeiss Biometar for $150 ($250 for the 120/2.8), Add a tilt adapter like Tilt Adapter Pentacon Kiev-60 Lenses Pentax-K Camera | eBay or the Hartblei Tilt Adapter for Pentax for $125. Now, that doesn't take care of the shifting part, but you can do some perspective correction in post if you have photoshop.

One of my friends who has a lensbaby with the new Edge 80 optic says that it works surprisingly well for tilt - Super sharp.

Also, check out this thread - https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5/175009-architectural-lens-pers...trol-lens.html
06-23-2012, 09:42 AM   #4
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I'm currently selling a Zork (or Zoerk) Multi-Focus System, which is a tilt system originally designed for my 67 system. It adapts to K mount with a standard 67 to K mount adapter. There is a shift plate available for it as well, but I never added it. It offers something like 22 degrees of tilt and uses a Rodenstock 105/4 APO Rodagon enlarger lens which produces seriously sharp images. I also used a Pentax medium format pro quality close-up lens to make this into a macro tilt set up (Zork offers a very similar macro kit that I modeled mine after). I'll go bump my post in the marketplace so you can find it...I think it's posted with my 67 kit that mostly has sold...

Note that you can buy this system from Zork for about $2200. I'm selling mine for less than half that.

Check the Zork website for nice detailed descriptions and example photos.

bumped it to the top of the Items for Sale in the Marketplace. The title of the thread is: 67II Kit--Zoerk Tilt Unit and....

Whether you buy mine or order a new one, I recommend the system highly whether shooting 67 or K mount.


Last edited by Ron Boggs; 06-23-2012 at 09:48 AM.
06-23-2012, 10:13 AM   #5
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A couple quick notes...Pentax only made shift lenses for both K mount and 67, neither offered tilt. I have owned both years ago and both were OK optically, but I needed tilt.

Note also that the latest gen. K5 has sensor-shift to gain some modicum of shift capability in body.

Also, the comment that for architecture you need shift is only half right. Shift is handy for architecture for framing, but tilt is even more important because it allows you to "create" sharp focus on the lower levels of buildings as well as the top levels which are considerably farther away in term of focus. Tilt function also gives you leeway working to minimize keystoning and other "leaning buildings" issues. For me, tilt is far more necessary for this type of shooting than shift, but I'm not an architectural guru either...I just want images that look good and sell.
06-23-2012, 10:17 AM   #6
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There are the Schneider Super-Angulons i n a 50mm and 90mm. I've never used a tilt-shift, but I just remember these coming out last year. They are each over 3k at B&H.
06-23-2012, 10:27 AM   #7
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I assembled a tilt lens from a $109 Hartblei tilt adapter Hartblei Tilt Adapter Pentacon Six - Lens Pentax K PK | eBay and a $120? Pentacon Six MIR 65:3.5 lens. It works well but it'd be nice to have a shorter focal length for architectural & landscape use. The Axar tilt adapter Arax Photo | Accessories for medium format cameras and lenses. for $125 appears to be identical to the Hartblei.

Arax also makes a 35mm TS lens MC ARAX 35 mm Tilt & Shift Review - the shorter focal length might be worth the extra couple hundred dollar cost.

If you DIY, I wouldn't be too concerned with the adapter's not having the shift option because shift is so easy to do in post processing - it is a strictly geometrical transformation and can be done by sliding a control then cropping to make the overall image rectangular again.

Dave in Iowa


Last edited by newarts; 06-23-2012 at 10:39 AM.
06-23-2012, 11:23 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by Ron Boggs Quote
Note also that the latest gen. K5 has sensor-shift to gain some modicum of shift capability in body.
There is a slight sensor shift for shake reduction,
but I'm not aware of any accessible functionality for keystone removal,
short of cropping the APS-C image or the kind of PP mentioned by newarts.
06-23-2012, 11:31 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by newarts Quote
I assembled a tilt lens from a $109 Hartblei tilt adapter Hartblei Tilt Adapter Pentacon Six - Lens Pentax K PK | eBay and a $120? Pentacon Six MIR 65:3.5 lens. It works well but it'd be nice to have a shorter focal length for architectural & landscape use. The Axar tilt adapter Arax Photo | Accessories for medium format cameras and lenses. for $125 appears to be identical to the Hartblei.
Do you know of any Pentax 6x7 to Pentacon/Exacta/Kiev 6 adapters?
The Pentax 6x7 45/4 still seems to be reasonably priced.
06-23-2012, 11:54 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by lytrytyr Quote
Do you know of any Pentax 6x7 to Pentacon/Exacta/Kiev 6 adapters?
The Pentax 6x7 45/4 still seems to be reasonably priced.
It is discussed here..Using Pentax 6

While the flange distances would permit it, there seems to be other sources of interference like aperture levers - I don't know but it may be possible to hack a way around that problem.
06-23-2012, 11:57 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by lytrytyr Quote
Do you know of any Pentax 6x7 to Pentacon/Exacta/Kiev 6 adapters?
The Pentax 6x7 45/4 still seems to be reasonably priced.
It is discussed here..Using Pentax 6

While the flange distances would permit it, there seems to be other sources of interference like aperture levers - I don't know but it may be possible to hack a way around that problem.

Zeiss MF 50mm lenses may be a good option with a Hartblei adapter; the MIR 45mm lens is not so good I think.

Last edited by newarts; 06-23-2012 at 12:16 PM.
06-23-2012, 12:27 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by newarts Quote
It is discussed here..Using Pentax 6
Thanks for the reference.

QuoteOriginally posted by newarts Quote
While the flange distances would permit it, there seems to be other sources of interference like aperture levers - I don't know but it may be possible to hack a way around that problem.
If the obstructions present on the Pentacon 6 body are also present on the female side of the adapter,
that could indeed be a problem.

Might then entail cutting the aperture lever,
like Canonites do when they want to mount a K-lens.
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